Hamdan bin Mohammed has opened the Dubai AI Campus cluster at DIFC Innovation Hub.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy, has officially opened the Dubai AI Campus cluster at the Innovation Hub, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). This initiative is part of the first phase of the annual Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI), which aims to speed up the adoption of AI across various sectors, creating an optimal environment for AI businesses and talents to foster innovation in AI.

Sheikh Hamdan stated that Dubai is continuously launching strategic plans to accelerate the adoption of AI and its applications in all sectors. This is in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a global hub of the digital economy and the preferred destination for major AI businesses and top talent from around the world.

"We are continuing our efforts to leverage advanced technology with the Dubai AI Campus at DIFC. This is a crucial step in our goal to double economic growth and increase AI's contribution to Dubai and the UAE's GDP. We are confident that the campus will significantly impact Dubai's economy by hosting numerous businesses and creating thousands of jobs in the coming years, further solidifying Dubai's position as a top destination for tech companies," stated Sheikh Hamdan.

"We prioritize Dubai’s competitiveness and leading position as a hub for the digital economy in all projects and programs we launch, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). Today, we are steadily moving towards a new era of leadership and sustainable growth of Dubai’s economy, which is based on knowledge, innovation, and future tech applications. Dubai will always remain a beacon of economic prosperity, regionally and globally, and the preferred choice of innovative minds," he added.

In 2023, the Dubai AI Campus was announced as the largest dedicated cluster of AI and advanced technology in the MENA region. The launch aims to support the objectives of Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which includes generating an average of AED 100 billion annually for Dubai's economy through digital transformation. This initiative also reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to establish Dubai as a global hub of the digital economy and a key player on the global digital landscape. The new campus is in line with Dubai’s vision to become a preferred destination for tech businesses and will drive innovation and tech integration across all sectors. It is estimated that AI will contribute $230 billion to the Middle East’s economy by 2030 and make up 14% of the UAE’s GDP by the same year.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; Issa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre; and Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority.

The Dubai AI Campus cluster will be part of the DIFC Innovation Hub, which offers dedicated co-working spaces to tech startups, including AI businesses. Phase one of the campus is already complete, with more than 75 businesses registered on a 10,000-square-foot campus. Phase two of the campus will extend over 100,000 square feet and is set to attract over 500 companies, creating more than 3,000 jobs by 2028.

Essa Kazim welcomed Sheikh Hamdan to the opening of the Dubai AI Campus, stating that the cluster will help achieve the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda and support the emirate's future technology and digital economy strategies.

"The opening of Dubai AI Campus is part of the first phase of the annual Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI), acting as a key enabler that will strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub accelerating the adoption of advanced technology," he said.

"Through Dubai and DIFC’s innovative structure, startups have direct access to investors, investment funds, major corporations, and traditional financial institutions. This ensures that high-potential businesses receive the necessary funding needed to achieve their goals," Essa Kazim added.

Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority, said: “Dubai AI Campus helps accelerate the objectives of DIFC’s 2030 Strategy, which aims to further empower our growing fintech and innovation ecosystem."

"The cluster will also solidify DIFC’s position as the largest incubator of the financial sector across the MEASA region as we look forward to collaborating with regional players to help them simplify and expand their business through AI,” he added.

The Dubai AI Campus facilitates multinational tech partnerships with leading tech companies such as Amazon Web Services, HP, Microsoft, Oracle, and Nvidia, who will join the cluster as key partners, further highlighting its empowering nature and making it home to the first innovation lab offering AI solutions to the UAE’s small businesses, in collaboration with du.

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The Dubai AI Campus will offer high computing capabilities, including DGX platforms, and state-of-the-art business accelerator programs to advance the implementation of AI applications in the private sector.

Furthermore, the campus will provide a unique AI license designed specifically for the next generation of AI-dependent businesses, utilizing DIFC’s independent legal framework. Businesses within the cluster will also benefit from DIFC’s Digital Assets Law, the first of its kind globally, offering legal certainty to investors and users of digital assets.

In addition, Dubai is set to host the premier Dubai AI and Web3 Festival on 11 and 12 September 2024 at Madinat Jumeirah. The event, organized by Dubai AI Campus in collaboration with the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications Office, and DIFC, highlights Dubai’s commitment to promoting future technology and is expected to attract over 5,000 visitors and participants, as well as more than 500 investors and 100 exhibitors.

Since its launch in 2021, DIFC’s Innovation Hub has continued to grow and forge milestone partnerships while driving innovation and helping shape forward-looking plans. It is now home to over 1,000 startups. As part of the Dubai Metaverse Strategy, the Innovation Hub launched the Metaverse Accelerator Program, which enrolled more than 150 students in its first cohort.Sure, here is the revised text: